Use of static and dynamic test results for model updating of a steel-concrete composite bridge

A model-based approach for the structural heath monitoring can be used to identify, locate and predict structural damage over time. The paper shows a manual procedure for updating the FE model of a steelconcrete composed bridge. The updating is performed using the dynamic and static tests’ results carried out during the testing phase. In the first model updates, the constraint conditions of the deck are changed to reflect only the dynamic test’s results for the Model 1 and the static test’s results for the Model 2. Based on the joint use of the two tests' results, further updates have provided some changes in the degrees of mutual constraint between the slab and the main beams (Model 3). The comparison between the models showed that the joint use of dynamic and static tests allowed to obtain a more accurate structural behavior’s model for the load levels reached during the test.